An Analysis Of Gender Stereotypes And Performativity In Brave Disney Movie

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Movie as one of literary works is made due to visual enjoyment‟s
importance. The reason why movie becomes one of literary works is simply
because they came from narrative texts‟ interpretation, which is also called as
literary adaptation and it is visualized in different corridors with novel. Formerly,
movie was based on prose or poem. This adaptation from literary works help
movie to find its space in literary corridor until it is able to stand for itself so that
it is considered as visual literacy.
Novel creates images and portrays the sounds implicitly, leaving the
reader to visualize it using their imagination. Unlike novel, the story found in the
movie is brought through visual communication. The description of setting which
the readers can only predict it through reading is portrayed in real life. Moreover,
movies use moving pictures and sound in order to perfectly show and describe the
stories from any kinds of narrative text, including the movie script.
There is a lot of possibility for audiences to learn from everything shown
through movies, thus it makes the movie classified as a visual literacy, as opposed
to the verbal one. It is agreeable then to put movie in a new box of a latest
medium for expanding the idea of literacy, because basically, everything written
can be categorized as a part of the study of literature. In the end, movie is not a
„movie‟ if it is not adapted from written text. So it is acceptable for a movie to be
put in the same box with drama or play.

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Apart from the connection between movie and literature, a lot of movies
are made as the forms of expression, especially from the moviemakers as well as
the ones who write the scripts. Their expressions towards ideologies, stereotypes,
or certain thoughts can be delivered easily through movie. There are eventually
some specific purposes implanted through movies they create. Some previously
mentioned thoughts and ideologies are only some of the examples of “hidden
things” which often can be found in a movie. Therefore, the audiences are
expected to give criticism or even counter balance it through movie reviews they
make after watching it.
This is why to win the chance of delivering a certain idea; movies can be
the best medium. There is a reason why The Simpsons airs at night in the US as
well as it is considered as adult animated sitcom. Apart from the animation it
offers, the plot and characters are somehow not deserved to be relished by kids.
This sitcom mainly depicts the condition of living as middle class Americans in
satirical way. So, if it is reconnected again to the function of delivering a certain
thought through movies, the mind construction to believe a certain thought, or
horrifically some stereotypes towards certain things, including gender is indeed, a
piece of cake thing to do.
If one of purposes is implanting stereotype, then the issues in gender
stereotyping in which a lot of feminists have objected since 1960s revolving only
in inequality, discrimination and sensitivity. Denying the rights, opportunities or
resources of a certain gender are the examples of this kind of discrimination.
Differential treatment is then given to males and females based on stereotypic

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roles prevail towards their gender, and that is the negative side from the wrongly-
taken of gender stereotypes. There are then phenomena related to inequality and it
is easily to see in some areas like occupations, public transportation and even a
family. As for the sensitivity, imagine entering a bus full of males, and as a
different sex standing before them may cause a gender gap. All of their eyes must
be locked into the only female at there.
Beforehand, gender stereotyping is more like discharging women
especially, to be able to freely express because of the „bump‟ created by society
for female roles. The bump which is discussed here is some feminine stereotypes
believed by a lot of people and agreed by the society. This feminine stereotype
limits women‟s movements in personal traits, domestic behaviors, physical
appearance, and occupations. Thus, these 4 kinds of feminine stereotypes become
a unity with gender stereotypes.
It is only natural for a woman to be nurturing, dependent, submissive,
passive, home-oriented, sensitive, indecisive, and other personal traits, as well as
domestic behaviors about women. As for males, they have more chances to be
analytical, cruel, blunt, tough and independent. Once a woman acts oppositely,
society will judge it wrong resulting in her being alienated. Mostly women
become the victims of these stereotypes.
According to Lippa (2005:111),
People hold strong stereotypes about the personality traits possessed by
men and women. In one early study, college students agreed that certain
kinds of traits (e.g., competitive, logical, skilled in business, and self-
confident) were more characteristic of men, whereas other kinds of traits
(e.g., gentle, aware of the feelings of others, and easily expresses tender
feelings) were more characteristic of women.

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As it can be seen clearly enough, women are limited in several personal
traits, domestic behaviors, occupations and physical appearances. Thus these
features become the kinds of gender stereotypes. As for personal traits, women are
expected to be nurturing, gentle, submissive, and indecisive. Domestic behaviors
are forced to women to conduct when they should work remotely, taking good
care only their husbands and children. As for the occupations, women are not
expected to work in engineering field. They should be pleased only for having
jobs as nurses. And for physical appearance as the last kind of gender stereotypes
prevail in society, women should be pretty, and have well-taken care of body.
Although they have to carry their infants, they are still expected to be looking
good, especially for the husbands. These stereotypes about women surely hold
back professionalism possessed by them for their occupations and limit them in
doing what they love to. They cannot be free in expressing their thoughts since
they are set and believed to be indecisive, as well as they cannot actually have
jobs once they get married, because they should stay at home, raising children and
taking good care of their husbands. The physical appearances ruled by society
limit women in plus size or different color hair from having a „normal‟ life.
Normal here means not being alienated for having short pixie cut of hair do or
having cut-boyish one. This inequality as well as differences can be some
examples of potential triggers in creating conflicts. In other words, they can be
found in any movie with related issue, especially when female characters and the
conflicts become dominant in the movie.

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Besides gender stereotyping that can be found in a movie, there is also
gender Performativity. This theory is coined by Judith Butler, a feminist and
philosopher. Generally this theory explains about gender as the effect of repetitive
acting. Thus it can be considered as true gender, as opposed to gender constructed
by society and relies on sex.
According to Butler (1990:7):
Is there a gender which persons are said to have, or is it an essential
attribute that a person is said to be, as implied in the question “what
gender are you?” When feminist theorists claim that gender is the
cultural interpretation of sex or that gender is culturally constructed,
what is the manner of mechanism of this construction?
It can be concluded from her statement above that she neither agree with
gender as culturally constructed nor deny that it is an essential attribute.
Evidently, she proves it through gender Performativity, which is the theory she
found in determining the concept of building up the „gender‟. She claims that
gender is an illusion. No one is ever born with gender. It is learnt, once the sex is
known.
Gender Performativity is then defined as a theory about stylized repetitive
masculine performances conducted by the owner of a certain sex that create a true
gender. Loosely speaking, Butler challenges the notion of gender that it is formed
through some repetitive masculine performances. For example, a girl raised with
the dominance of males tends to do activities like sports, climbing and other
masculine activities. Thus, in the future there is a chance she will act a little bit
boyish. Furthermore, it can be concluded that what makes a person a woman is
represented in the way she acts and speaks and those activities should have been

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done doing repetitively. In the end, gender will be formed and makes it a person
with gender identity as opposed to sex identity.
In fact, most people believe that sex is the brainchild of gender. Gender
sticks to whatever the sex type attached to a human being. Pointing out a girl
carrying female characteristics is true, yet the assurance of her following the
female roles prevail in society cannot be judged by true or false. She has a
freedom for being wild, independent and less sensitive, as opposed to feminine
stereotypes, without having society to alienate her. And why is alienating
necessary?
Using movie to deliver the alienation of a person for acting differently
with her/his sex, gender stereotypes and Performativity then can be found in a lot
of movies these days, including the one, which is analyzed in this study, Brave
movie. In fact, gender should be seen as fluid kind of thing, which can reform
under circumstances like time and situations. People then have freedoms to
behave differently, as opposed to what sex they have been assigned since birth.
This study, which is entitled “An Analysis of Gender Stereotypes and
Performativity in Brave Movie” attempts to analyze gender stereotypes
phenomena found in the movie using Judith Butler‟s theory of Gender
Performativity and how the masculine performances done by the female character
eventually breaks off the traditional stereotypic roles found in the movie. This
movie is selected because apparently Disney has broken off the traditional roles of
its Princesses‟ franchise, especially when recalling back to the very first Princess

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movie ever launched; Snow White and 7 Dwarves and then followed by other
anti-feminist Princess movies like Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast.
What makes this study worth analyzing is because of the facts found in the
movie; Merida has boyish personality and that is all thanks to her father, who
gives her a bow, instead of dolls as her first birthday. Since then, she is keen on
archery, horsing, and more adventures, while her mother forces her to follow the
roles of Princess prevail at the time. In consequence, this movie reveals a lot of
masculine performances which have been represented and done by Merida as well
as how those performances break off the gender stereotypes phenomena which
also evidently appeared in the movie.
1.2 Statements of the Problem
In this study, the problems are formulated into three questions, as follow:
1. What are gender stereotypes phenomena found in Brave movie?
2. What are the masculine performances related to gender Performativity
represented by the main female character?
1.3 Scope and Limitation of the Problems
This study covers the analysis of Brave movie through revealing the
evidences found in the movie related to gender stereotypes and Performativity
issues. To ensure the study is more focused, the topics are limited only in the
analysis of characters, gender stereotypes, and Performativity evidences appeared
and found in the movie.

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1.4 Goals of the Study
The aim of this study is to reveal how gender stereotypes found in Brave
movie are broken off through the performances done oppositely by the main
female character. Thus, there are some other goals expected to be fulfilled, and
they are as follow:
1. To identify gender stereotypes phenomena found in the movie.
2. To reveal the masculine performances related to gender Performativity
represented by the main female character.
1.5 Functions of the Study
This study is expected not only to provide general information about
Gender Stereotypes and Performativity, but also to provide a fact that Brave
movie is actually breaking off the traditional stereotypes towards Classic Disney
Princesses (e.g. Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, etc.). Moreover, there are
several outcomes from the study which also share the following functions:
1. This study is indeed broadening the writer‟s knowledge about Gender
Stereotypes and Performativity based on Judith Butler‟s theory.
2. The readers will understand that masculine performances represented
by the main female character are eventually resulting in the
conclusion; Brave movie is indeed flawlessly feminist movie.

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3. Through this study, the readers are expected to have a deeper insight
about Gender Stereotypes and Performativity, as well as how the sexes
are not sharing the same level with gender.
4. This study can be one of related studies which discusses about gender
stereotypes and Performativity in Brave movie.
Last, this study is also expected to be a reference or source of information
for the next student of English department who plans to use similar theme.
1.6 Systematical Presentation
This study consists of five chapters. As for Chapter I, it consists of several
topics, namely the background of the study, the statements of problem, the scope
and limitation of problems, the goals of study, and the functions of study. In the
background of the study, it explains about how the selected movie is chosen and
the connection between movie and the issues found in the movie. Then the
statement of the problem follows up. There are 3 questions stated. Furthermore,
scope and limitation is about to what extent the study is encompassed and how the
study is limited. The following subchapter is the goals of the study. There are
three main goals. Moreover, the next subchapter is the functions of the study. It is
expected to fulfill some functions and advantages so that anyone who reads will
be more knowledgeable in understanding more about gender stereotypes and
Performativity, as well as analyzing any movie using more specific criticism, so
that they can build up critical thinking in the future.

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In Chapter II, there are some explanations about related studies, review of
literature, and theoretical framework. The first subchapter, related studies, there
are three previous studies related to this study. There is also general description
about the theory and approach, and they are situated in review of literature. As for
the theoretical framework of this study, Judith Butler‟s theory about Gender
Performativity is used to solve the problems.
Chapter III contains the approach of the study, data source, technique of
collecting data, and method of data analysis. This chapter provides information
about what kind of approach that will be used in this study, from where the source
of data is taken, the technique in collecting the data from the sources, and the
method used in analyzing the data.
Chapter IV is finding and analysis. This chapter provides the finding from
the data and the finding analysis using the selected theory. As for the very last
chapter, it contains conclusions and suggestions where this study explains the
results into several sub chapters that answer the questions in statements of
problem as well as the suggestions, available for the next colleague friends who
are about to take the same topic.

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CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES, REVIEW OF LITERATURE,
AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Related Studies
A lot of studies have been conducted by some college students related to
this study, as follow;
The first study was conducted by Rahel (2013), which is entitled “An
Analysis of Gender Stereotypes in “Twilight””. This study used qualitative
method in finding out the purpose or main goal, which is to find out how the
author, Stephanie Meyer characterizes the two main characters. The analysis was
done by identifying its stereotypic issue too. Through the quotations found in the
novel which shows stereotypic characteristics, this study resulted in some
negative issues about gender stereotypes prevail in the movie.
The second study was conducted by Amelia (2013), which is entitled “An
Analysis of Gender Values Presented in Babette Cole‟s Picture Book Princess
Smartypants Series”. This study was conducted with the aims to figure out the
gender values presented in characters, setting and theme. Using qualitative
method, this study resulted in some characters in the object are considered as
gendered characters, in which the author reversed the role between male and
female.
And the last one is a study conducted by Prasetyo (2013), which is entitled
“An Analysis of the Image of “Mulan” using Feminist Perspective”. This study
investigated the dialogues and pictures done by the main character in the movie

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using qualitative method. This study shows that the feminism found in Mulan
movie is indeed the representation of today‟s perspective of women.
This study uses the related studies above due to the similarity of the main
theme, namely gender issues, yet using different theory and data source in order to
preserve its originality.
2.2 Review of Literature
2.2.1 Literary Adaptation
It is generally the adapting of a literary source (e.g. a novel, short story,
and poem) to another genre or medium like a movie and a stage play.
Bluestone in Gualda (2010) states that, “One third of the films produced in
the studios of RKO, Paramount and Universal are adaptations of novels.”
Therefore, cinema, film, or movie greatly shares the same interpretations with
other literary works like novel, drama, and poem. They formerly came from
written text which is adapted to a new medium so that people, as the audiences
experience a new enjoyment, which in this case is in visual.
Furthermore, according to Gualda (2010),
At a time when the cinema is the biggest media culture and that literature
has an audience so small, "the cinema should not be seen only as a
cinematic phenomenon, not even as an artistic phenomenon, but as the
possibility of acquiring the balance, freedom, the possibility of becoming
human" (Bernardet, 1985: 34). Statistics show that the search for the
source text significantly increases with the adaptations of novels (in the
recent case of The Da Vinci Code, The Lord of the Rings and Harry
Potter).
From the quotation above, it shows that cinema is considered as a new
way in acquiring the balance of freedom in becoming human, or in this case is

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expressing literary text significantly by also adapting it into a well-visualized final
touch, which is also called as movie.
2.2.1.1 Movie
Movie comes with recorded moving images that tell a story from a written
text, called movie script. The connection between literature and film is real close.
As for movie is considered as the final touch of a drama or play, so the director
can use film to capture what is written in text as part of acts and then portray it in
a whole package that is called as movie.
The elements of movie are alike with the ones found in drama or play. It
includes setting, plot, characterization, theme, and some other features. But firstly,
like in any literary works, there are two approaches that can be used to “dissect”
one; they are by analyzing its intrinsic and extrinsic elements.
In accordance with what has been stated by Wellek and Warren
(1948:139):
The natural and sensible starting point for works in literary scholarship is
the interpretation and analysis of the works of literature themselves.
After all, only the works themselves justify all our interest in the life of
an author, in his social environment and the whole process of literature.
It is then agreeable to analyze a literary work from the process of making
one. In other words, the critic is mainly concerned with the form, language, style,
symbols, images, characters, contrasts, structure and development of plot used in
a literary work. This is why intrinsic elements can be such help for the readers to
understand more about what is inside of a literary work.

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Extrinsic elements make the critic giving more importance to the context
of a text. It is always around the history, social conditions, background, and
biography of the author. Similarly, a critic of literature using this approach sees
what the outside factors in developing a literary work are.
2.2.1.1.1 Character
All stories must have certain characteristics to liven up the stories. It is a
person who is depicted in a narrative or drama. Once a person is appointed for a
character, she or he must live with it. They have to get out of their personal life
and liven up the characters.
Moreover, characters may be flat or round. They can also be minor and
major. Generally in a story, the main character is known as the protagonist. As for
the character who opposes him or her is the antagonist. Through how a character
responds the conflicts, the characterization can be revealed easily. It can also be
identified through his or her dialogue, and descriptions of other characters or the
author itself. Without characterizing the persons involved in literary work, any
piece of literature would cease to make sense or even serve a purpose.
According to Holman (1985:74),
Most often used to refer to a person in a fictional story, character is also a
term applied to a literary form which flourished in England and France in
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is a brief descriptive sketch
of a personage who typifies some definite quality.
It can be concluded that character refers to any person, animal, or figure
represented in a literary work possessing some qualities which distinguish one to
another, the dialogues and acts.

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Accordingly, there are many types of characters that exist in literature,
each with its own development and function. Therefore, to extend the plot is the
general purpose of building up the characters. This is because there are so many
stories employ multiple types of characters along with the developments. And it
makes the story going on well, in order to follow the plot of it. Besides of
extending the plot, the existence of characters is also making some plot twists.
The characters serve the greatest effect on the plot and are affected by the plot
twists in the story.
Furthermore, the audience can also assume the genre of movie that they
currently watch through analyzing the characters. For instance, if the main
character is threatened to be killed by other characters, the genre of the movie
then can be assumed as thriller. In the end, through the dialogues, mimics, and
acts that the characters perform, it is easy to find the phenomenon related to this
study.
1. Round and Flat Characters
Besides of protagonist and antagonist characters, there are also round and
flat characters.
According to Forster in Abrams (1999:33) about flat and round characters:
A flat character (also called a type or “two-dimensional”), Forster says,
is built around “a single idea or quality” and is presented without much
individualizing detail, and therefore can be fairly adequately described in
a single phrase or sentence. A round character is complex in
temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularity;
such a character therefore is as difficult to describe with any adequacy as
a person in real life, and like real persons, is capable of surprising us.

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The concept of round and flat characters is then closely tied to character
development. From definition mentioned above, round characters are fully
developed. They are more realistic and complex and show a true depth of
personality. They require more attention by the reader; they can make surprise
decisions or puzzling ones. As for flat character, it is the one who only shows one
or two sides of traits in literary work.
2. Dynamic and Static Characters
The concept of dynamic and static characters is closely tied to character
development. A dynamic character is one who goes through some sort of change;
they show character development. A protagonist is usually a dynamic character. A
character can change from a shy, weak girl into a strong, confident woman, for
instance. As Holman states (1985:145), “Dynamic Character: A character in a
fiction or drama who develops or changes as a result of the actions of the plot.”
As for static characters, on the other hand, they do not change throughout
the course of the story.
Static Character: A character in a novel, a short story, or a drama who
changes little if at all in the progress of the action. Things happen to
static characters without modifying their interior selves; the pattern of
action reveals characters as they are without showing them in the process
of development.
Static characters then serve to show contrast to dynamic ones, refusing to
grow and remaining in one place or mentality.

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2.2.1.1.2 Setting
Setting can be considered generally as the actual location of an event takes
place. Authors, including movie script writers create their own “world” with a
particular location. The exact information of time, date, and location, as well as
social condition then becomes the attributes of setting of a movie.
Setting: The physical, and sometimes spiritual, background against
which the action of a narrative (novel, drama, short story, poem) takes
place. The elements which go to make up a setting are: (1) the actual
geographical location, its topography, scenery, and such physical
arrangements as the location of the windows and doors in a room; (2) the
occupations and daily manner of living of the characters; (3) the time or
period in which the action takes place, e.g., epoch in history or season of
the year; (4) the general environment of the characters, e.g. religious,
mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions through which the people
in the narrative move.
From the quotation above, there is always a room for critics when it comes
to analyze a literary work by connecting its setting and plot. Through it, there is
opportunity for gathering actual information related to the literary work or movie,
which is planned to analyze too. For instance, finding out more about influences
of how an author produces a literary work or a movie is easy by understanding
both physical and social settings of his/her work.
As Abrams (1957: 284) stated,
The overall setting of a narrative or dramatic work is the general locale,
historical time, and social circumstances in which its action occurs; the
setting of a single episode or scene without such a work is the particular
physical location in which it takes place.
Therefore, there are two types of setting available to use to analyze a
literary work or movie, and they are physical and social settings.

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1. Physical Setting
This type of setting includes all of the places where the action or event
takes place. The climate, physical objects, geography, and neighborhood are then
included in this type of setting. This setting can change from scene to scene. This
setting also includes temporal setting, such as time in history, time of year, and
time of day.
2. Social Setting
It is a description of a location, which provides the location and time of
social interactions occurred. Behavior and beliefs that dominate the society in
which the characters live are also included in this social setting. This type of
social setting can be one of triggers in creating conflicts as it also includes family
relationships, political systems, class structures, gender roles, moral values and
race relations in all part of social environment.
2.2.1.1.3 Feminist Literary Criticism
Feminist criticism deals with the social and cultural aspects of literary
works, especially for works which reveal the role, position and influence of
women.
As Tyson (1998: 83) states, “Broadly defined, feminist criticism examines
the ways in which literature (and other cultural production) reinforces or
undermines the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of
women.”

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With the umbrella, feminism, there are a lot of movements which fight for
the equality between male and female. It was all started since the development of
more complex conceptions of gender and subjectivity as well as the third-wave
feminism. Furthermore, feminist literary criticism has taken a variety of new
routes in breaking off the roles appointed sexily. This literary movement realized
the significance of the images of women promulgated by literature, and then saw
it as vital in order to combat them as well as question their authority and
coherence. To put it simply, feminist literary criticism identifies the female
character presented as object seen from a male perspective and how she is treated
in the story, either she is abused or oppressed. Last, it also concerns in two things,
specifically gender stereotypes and performativity.
1. Gender Stereotypes
It is all started from a stereotype word, which is a widely accepted
judgment regarding to a person or group. It is also used to categorize a group of
people with an attempt to understand that type. Society then put people into
classifications of certain types, assuming that people who have certain
distinguishing attributes or differences as the member of the group.
On the other hand, gender stereotypes are simplistic generalizations about
gender attributes, which also concerns in generalizing gender differences and
roles of individuals or groups. It is used to categorize men and women into two
categories; the masculine and the feminine. If the judgment is fair enough
between masculine and feminine stereotypes, why do most feminists in the world

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fight for it to be changed? It is because of the unfairness from those stereotypes,
which automatically limit women‟s movements in doing so many things. They are
limited by those stereotypical responsibilities that seems unfair compared to
male‟s stereotypes. For example, a woman is expected to be gentle, indecisive,
and sensitive and so on. Once she acts oppositely, she would receive some
sanctions like alienation from society. People would stare at them in the oddest
way until it becomes a burden and hurtfully resulting in gender discrimination. A
tomboy girl who loathes and not getting used to act in feminine ways would often
be described as a lesbian, while in fact she is straight in sexual orientation.
According to Lippa (2005:110),
Gender stereotypes and beliefs also have an important role in many
social psychological theories of gender. However, social psychological
analyses tend to focus more on how stereotypes affect other people's
behavior toward us, and how stereotypes lead to self-fulfilling
prophecies.
Once people believe feminine stereotypes to be true, they act to make it
come true. In the end, a generalization of some attributes or personal traits can be
a stereotype through repetition and other influences to keep it aired like media or
advertisement. As for the self-fulfilling prophecies that may be led by some
stereotypes then can hold back men and women to really dig out their gender
identities, which often are opposite their sex. Gender stereotypes then revolve
around personal traits, physical appearance, occupations, and domestic behaviors.
These kinds of stereotypes limit women in professionally involve in certain
occupation. It is also like saying, married women should raise children, instead of
going to work and have another single life.

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These stereotypes can be negative or positive, though they rarely
communicate accurate information about others. Consequently, when people
unconsciously apply these gender assumptions to others regardless of evidence to
the contrary, they are actually perpetuating the so-called gender stereotyping.
There are then so many people recognize the dangers of it, but they keep
continuing making these types of generalizations. And this is why it has been
included in one of movements done by some feminists. It is because these
stereotypes ask women to carry some unfair expectations (from men); otherwise
they will be alienated by the society.
According to Lippa (2005: 112):
Of course, gender stereotypes are not just about personality. People also
hold stereotypes about men‟s and women‟s physical traits (muscular,
soft, hairy), social roles (provides, does house work), occupations
(engineer, librarian), and sexuality (has high sex drive, sexually attracted
to men).
Based on the explanation above, women seem having a lot of weak spots
in living their roles as women assigned by their sex. It seems like they were born
only to marry and breed. Their jobs are limited for they do not belong in Math,
Physics, Chemistry or engineering kind of jobs. A woman is also forced by these
roles to put her family‟s welfare before her own. She should be lovely, caring,
compassionate, and nurturing as well as sympathetic. Unlike women, men are the
ones to be competitive, courageous, independent, assertive, and career-focused.
What women know is only about how to find a responsible man playing a role as
breadwinner.
These sorts of stereotypes can prove harmful as they can withstand
individual expression and creativity, as well as prevent personal and professional

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growth. And the examples of these stereotypes can be seen easily in Brave movie.
The main female character is forced by feminine stereotypes prevail in the movie.
The one who did the compulsion is her own mother. She wants Merida to follow
the social roles as a Princess; to behave like a real woman and to marry a Prince in
a very young age in order to make a stronger bond with another Kingdom. It
revolves in personal traits, occupations, physical appearance, and domestic
behaviors as the four kinds of gender stereotypes.
2. Gender Performativity
Judith Butler is one of feminists who came up with gender Performativity.
She claims that gender is illusion and comes in fluid substance. Nobody was born
with gender entailed with them. Thus it brings her to a decision that a person can
change her gender through performing the acts or roles which are opposite to their
sexes. It is like saying gender is not something you are, it is something you do.
Furthermore through her book (1990:33):
If there is something right in Beauvoir‟s claim that one is not born, but
rather becomes a woman, it follows that woman itself is a term in
process, a becoming, a constructing that cannot rightfully be said to
originate or to end.
From the statement above, she claims that the gender of a female person is
an illusion. There is no gendered person since the very beginning. Thus, she
believes repeatedly-done of behaviors that create the gender. Therefore, sex is not
in the same level with gender. It is no longer an entity since sex and gender do not
dangle like a tail.

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The evidences of masculine performances done by Merida in the selected
movie, Brave, are available to be revealed using her theory. For instance is when
Merida gets her first birthday gift from her dad. The King gives her a bow, instead
of a doll. It makes her loving her gift and grows up with it. Following the position
of bow, which is at the time used only by men, Merida then performs what men
do with their bows.
2.3 Theoretical Framework
In this study, Brave movie is analyzed using Butler‟s theory about gender
Performativity. As stated in her book, Butler (1990:140):
Gender ought not to be construed as a stable identity or locus of agency
from which various acts follow; rather, gender is an identity tenuously
constituted in time, instituted in an exterior space through a stylized
repetition of acts.
Using her theory, it is much easier to dissect the female character‟s roles in
the movie as well as the masculine performances represented by Merida in order
to break off the stereotypes she encounters from the society she lives in. This
perspective also helps this study in compiling and finishing the investigation.

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CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
There are four parts in this section, and they are; approach of the study,
data source, technique of data collection, and method of data analysis.
3.1 Approach of the Study
This study applies the descriptive method of qualitative approach. The
data and the result of this study are described into short essays.
According to Creswell (2003:18),
A qualitative approach one in which the inquirer often makes knowledge
claims based primarily on constructivist perspectives (i.e., the multiple
meanings of individual experiences, meanings, socially and historical
constructed, with an intent of developing a theory or pattern) or advocacy
/ participatory perspectives (i.e., political, issue-oriented, collaborative,
or change oriented) or both. It also uses strategies of inquiry such
narratives, phenomenologies, ethnographies, grounded theory studies, or
case studies. The researcher collects open-ended, emerging data with the
primary intent of developing themes from the data.
Qualitative method is used because practically, it helps the researchers
gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern
such behavior. This method is also about finding out not just what people think
but why they think it. To understand their motivations and feelings are also the
result from conducting qualitative approach.
Based on the explanation above, this approach is able to describe the facts
and the relationship between the source and the findings systematically, factually,
and accurately.

25
3.2 Data Source
There are two data sources that are used in this research. The first data or
the primary data is taken from the movie, Brave. The second data is taken from
books and other references, which are supporting the issue, such as indirect and
direct quotations related to the research from books and other references and text
of the movie per se.
3.3 Technique of Collecting Data
To collect the data of this study, the visual observation is used, since the
data source of this study is a movie.
As for the steps in conducting the qualitative approach, as follow; watch
the movie repeatedly, find out the characterization in the main female character,
and then analyze the dialogues acted by her, as well as masculine performances
represented in the movie. The steps are conducted carefully in order to
comprehend the portrayal of gender stereotypes and Performativity from the
movie. Moreover, the findings related to the keywords are picked up to be
investigated and classified.
3.4 Method of Data Analysis
All of the data which have been collected are classified to fill up the
findings and they are analyzed using Butler‟s theory. As for the data, they are
presented in dialogue, masculine performances conducted by the main characters

26
and then followed by analysis. Finally, the conclusion is stated based on previous
chapters, which give the detail description related to the theory used in this study.

27
CHAPTER IV
FINDING AND ANALYSIS
This chapter is divided into three sub chapters, for each of it discussed
about the statements of problems stated in Chapter 1. Using Brave movie as the
object of observation, this chapter is then used to display the findings along with
the analysis solved through „dissecting‟ the intrinsic and extrinsic elements of the
selected movie.
To ease the analysis, a brief of synopsis about Brave movie is necessary. It
is an original story written by co-director Brenda Chapman. This movie was
released by Pixar and then continued with Disney Picture on June 10, 2012 in
United States. This movie is set in Scotland, right in a rugged and mythical time.
It features Merida as an aspiring archers and impulsive daughter of royalty. She
makes a careless choice to defend her belief about getting married. Her choice
then unleashes unintended risk of her own mother, Queen Elinor and then forces
her to fix into action in order to set things right.
4.1. The Gender Stereotypes Phenomena Found in the Movie
As this movie is considered as feminist movie, there are some gender
stereotypes phenomena found in the movie. These stereotypes eventually force
Merida, as the main female character in this movie to follow and perform some
personal traits, occupations, physical appearance, and domestic behaviors. In this

28
section, there are those findings, which are related to the chosen issues along with
the analysis.
To make it even narrower, the explanation of gender stereotypes
phenomena is limited only in the four kinds of gender stereotypes that are
mentioned previously. They are forced to conduct by Merida.
Personal traits are one of kinds of gender stereotypes which are believed to
entail to either male or female persons. It revolves around being submissive,
gentle, nurturing, indecisive, dependent, and etc. Women are reinforced to carry
and perform those personal traits; otherwise it would cause gender discrimination.
As for occupations, the limitation in certain work field. For example is
when most nurses and secretaries are mostly women, and most doctors and
construction workers are men. In this case, Merida has an attached occupation,
which is a Princess. It comes along with some duties and responsibilities that she
should hold.
As for the physical appearance, it is the judgments towards the size which
is men are expected to have muscular body and women are smaller body. Last is
the domestic behavior, which revolves around doing activities remotely. For
example, caring for children is often considered best done by women, while
household repairs are often considered best done by men. Since most of
Princesses are spending time indoor, then it limits them to do outdoor activities.

29
4.1.1. Findings
The data which are collected in a table becomes the textual evidences of
gender stereotypes phenomena found in the movie.
The data found in the movie represent all of the four kinds of gender
stereotypes, namely physical appearance, domestic behaviors, occupations, and
personal traits. They are presented in which minute the textual evidences are
spoken or performed by the characters in this movie. Here are the evidences of
Merida being forced to perform gender stereotypes phenomena found in the
movie.
Table 1. Gender Stereotypes Phenomena Found in the Movie
No. Minute Textual Evidences
1 0:02:30
Queen Elinor (QE): “A bow, Fergus? She's a
lady.”
2 00:05:19 - 00:05:50
Merida (M): “I became a sister to three new
brothers. The princes; Hamish, Hubert and Harris.
Wee devils, more like. They get away with
anything. I'm the Princess. I'm the example. I've
got duties, responsibilities, and expectations. My
whole life is planned out, preparing for the day I
become, well, my mother.”
3 0:06:14
QE: “A Princess must be knowledgeable about her
Kingdom.”
4 0:06:06
QE: “Enunciate. You must be understood from
anywhere in the room, or it's all for naught.”
5 0:06:17 QE: “She does not doodle.”
6 00:06:30 - 00:06:42
QE: “A Princess does not chortle.” (PA)| “Does
not stuff her gob!” (PA)| “Rises early.” (O) | “...is

30
compassionate | “patient, cautious, clean.” | “...and
above all, a Princess strives for... Well,
perfection.”
7
00:10:08 and
00:10:14
QE: “Merida, a Princess does not place her
weapons on the table.” | “A Princess should not
have weapons in my opinion.”
8 0:12:31 QE: “A Princess does not raise her voice.”
9 0:12:24
QE: “This year, each clan will present a suitor to
compete in the games for your hand.”
10 0:12:34
QE: “Merida, this is what you've been preparing
for your whole life.”
11 0:13:55 QE: “It's marriage. It's not the end of the world.”
12 0:14:58
QE: “Merida, all this work, all the time spent
preparing you, schooling you, giving you
everything we never had. I ask you, what do you
expect us to do?”
13 0:27:37 - 0:28:18
QE: “I am the Queen. You listen to me! | QE:
Merida, you are a Princess, and I expect you to act
like one.”
4.1.2. Analysis
The analysis is started with defining sex, gender and stereotypes, for then
it leads to a complete definition of gender stereotypes. And then it is followed
with each explanation of findings related to gender stereotypes phenomena found
in the selected movie.
As for sex, it is born, exclusive to a particular sex and is fixed. Sex does
not change over time. Once an individual was born male, he would always be

31
male. It occurs exactly the same to female too. Sex is natural too, for there are
organs that determine a male is biologically a person with penis and Adam‟s
apple. As for the females, they have vaginas and breasts. Sex is therefore a fact of
biology, which is the physiological distinctiveness or state of being male or
female.
As for gender, it refers to human traits linked by culture to each sex. Males
are socialized to be masculine as females are taught to be feminine within a
society. Gender is therefore the difference that sex makes within a society. It
guides how people with the same assigned sex to think and interact with others.
Gender is also entailed by some opportunities, occupations, roles and prestige that
should be followed by each sex. Imagine a person comes with a set of
characteristics, roles and behavior patterns that distinguish him from females
which are not constructed biologically, but socially and even culturally. There
would be differences. Gender then can be considered as analytical tool to
understand social processes like the variable concepts of race, class, ethnicity,
economics and culture that affect human beings. There are then some
characteristics that distinguish it from sex, as follows:
- It starts the moment the sex is known.
- It is socially constructed.
- It varies within and among cultures as different individuals and
societies would give different meanings to maleness and femaleness.
- It is the attributes, expected behaviors, expected responsibilities and
expected roles that go with maleness and femaleness.

32
- It is learnt.
For stereotype, it is a structured set of beliefs about some personal
attributes of a group of people. Stereotypes are indeed harmful. For each
individual, no matter sex they are assigned with comes with certain uniqueness.
But these generalizations about a class of people become solid and models to
point at some traits of a group of people.
After those explanations above, the differences then can be identified
easily. Thus it would lead this analysis to another next level, which is a definition
of gender stereotypes, for it refers to several features of individuals assigned to
men and women and be held with considerable assurance by many people. These
features are not assigned due to an individual‟s biological sex, but rather in
accordance to the social roles that men and women had (masculine/feminine).
From the findings above, these gender stereotypes phenomena prevailed at
that time are actually holding back Merida‟s passion in archery and more
specifically, in doing anything she loves to do, which mostly against her roles as a
Princess. These findings are better broken down one by one so that the relevancies
between it all and the settings of the movie can be identified instantly.
Here are the analyses of each finding collected from the movie:
Textual Evidence 1
Minute: 0:02:30
Queen Elinor: “A bow, Fergus? She's a lady.”
From that evidence, Queen Elinor was questioning King Fergus‟ decision
of 1st
birthday gift for his daughter, Merida. He gave her a bow, although he

33
understands that Merida is a lady. If it is connected to the setting of this movie,
there is a proof of a Princess that should not be burdened by other masculine
activities like archery or riding a horse (in this case). She must spend all of her
time, be schooled at home by her own mother, and learn mostly about languages,
embroidery, and how to be entertaining. A Princess does not have time to dwell in
arranging wars, so that learning how to defend her, like archery is not necessary.
This evidence shows the occupation of a Princess limits her in doing what she
loves to do.
Kinds of Gender Stereotypes: Occupation
Textual Evidence 2
Minute: 00:05:19 - 00:05:50
Merida: “I became a sister to three new brothers. The princes; Hamish, Hubert
and Harris. Wee devils, more like. They get away with anything. I'm the
Princess. I'm the example. I've got duties, responsibilities, and
expectations. My whole life is planned out, preparing for the day I
become, well, my mother.”
From this evidence, Merida complains about injustice freedom that her
three younger brothers have, whereas she cannot get away with anything. It is
because of special occupations that are attached to her. As she said in textual
evidence, she has got duties, responsibilities, and expectations. Because in the
end, she would be the heir of her father‟s Kingdom, or in other words, she would
become Queen of Dun Broch. For becoming a Queen she still has to obey the

34
King, or in other words, she would be limited by the other feminine stereotypes
about personal traits that she should be submissive, gentle, and nurturing, as well
as to put family‟s welfare before her own.
Textual Evidence 3
Minute: 0:06:14
Queen Elinor: “A Princess must be knowledgeable about her Kingdom.”
This evidence is categorized as occupation stereotype, which a Princess
should carry. It certainly is against her occupation as a Princess. She is not
allowed to do outdoor activities, whereas she also needs to be knowledgeable
about her Kingdom. Is not is confusing enough for her to only know it from
textual books, not from seeing it using her own eyes? In other words, she is
limited in getting known other areas, mostly outdoors, because she must work
remotely and mostly indoor. She is used only to build relationship and form
alliances between countries. If there is a chance for her to rule a Kingdom, then
she also has duties to be knowledgeable about her own, but still, she is limited by
responsibilities in raising her children. It is like repetitively performing the same
roles as when she was a Princess.
Textual Evidence 4
Minute: 0:06:06

35
Queen Elinor: “Enunciate. You must be understood from anywhere in the room,
or it's all for naught.”
Female in medieval period must stand out of what she believes. But it does
not mean she needs to be aggressive, dominant and less sensitive. Women are
forced to amaze a lot of their peoples by her intelligence since they were schooled
and are forbidden in doing anything else. The last line is showing how many years
had spent by the Queen, to schooling Merida, and if she does not enunciate,
projecting her voice and stand out in front of her people, then all of the efforts
would waste in vain. It also becomes another evidence of occupation harmful
stereotypical role for women living in medieval period.
Textual Evidence 5
Minute : 0:06:17
Queen Elinor : “She does not doodle.”
Doodle or unintended drawing is not allowed, except they take things
seriously, like painting self-portraits. Mostly men do art things, like painting, and
drawing still-life. Women are limited in doing so as they mostly became the
objects of the painting. This stereotype is then prohibiting Merida to find out her
passion. Finding out one can help a person to really work and do something with
all of her heart. In the end, the result would always turn out good. This evidence
then becomes another occupation stereotyping for women in middle ages period.

36
Textual Evidence 6
Minute : 00:06:30 - 00:06:42
Queen Elinor : “A Princess does not chortle.” | “Does not stuff her gob!” | “Rises
early.” | “...is compassionate,” | “...patient, cautious, clean.” |
“...and above all, a Princess strives for... Well, perfection.”
This evidence shows how Merida has responsibilities in forming a good
image of a Princess. She is forced to have a good physical appearance (e.g. slim
and pretty). For stuffing her stomach with a lot of foods is not allowed. She must
not act oppositely her own personal traits as what society believed her to have. As
a noble woman, she should begin her day at dawn with morning prayers and then
followed by breakfast. In her leisure time, she should include embroidery,
discussion on betrothals, poetry, marriage and courtly love. It is true then; a noble
woman like Merida should strive for perfection almost in everything, except
masculine activities. These lines show harmful evidences of stereotypes which are
forced for Merida to conduct and obey.
Kinds of Gender Stereotypes: Physical Appearance, Occupation, and
Personal Traits.
Textual Evidence 7
Minute: 00:10:08 and 00:10:14
Queen Elinor: “Merida, a Princess does not place her weapons on the table.” | “A
Princess should not have weapons in my opinion.”

37
It is a fact with full of risks for not allowing women to learn how to defend
themselves, or in this case is learning martial art. She lives in medieval period
which threatens the people to at least know how to use swords. But her mother
shows a Princess is an occupation which has a lot of limitations, including having
a bow without its arrows to be placed on the table.
Textual Evidence 8 - 11
Minute: 0:12:31 - 0:13:55
Queen Elinor : “A Princess does not raise her voice. | This year, each clan will
present a suitor to compete in the games for your hand.”
Merida : “I suppose a Princess just does what she's told?!”
Queen Elinor : “Merida, this is what you've been preparing for your whole life.”
Merida : “No, it's what you've been preparing for my whole life. I won't go
through with it. You can't make me!”
Queen Elinor : “It's marriage. It's not the end of the world!”
In the earlier, this evidence shows that a Princess comes with certain
personal traits which distinguish her with regular women at her age. The warning
about raising her voice is also one of those personal traits kind of stereotypes. A
Princess should not be loud in order for her to be heard.
As for her engagement evidence, it is also part of the occupation of a
Princess, where she cannot do anything with Queen‟s decision, which is
unbreakable. This evidence shows that Merida and her mother, the Queen, were

38
arguing about one-sided decision of betrothal or engagement in order to form
allies for her father‟s Kingdom. Back in medieval period, trading a King‟s
daughter is allowed. Marriages were arranged by powerful families so they can
build alliances and women were the property that was traded. This stereotype is
still happening up to these days. Noblewomen anywhere in the world are used to
build more power and gain more alliances as it happened to Merida. Being told to
whom she should marry by their parents is one of Princess occupations. The
princess is expected to obey the king and have impeccable manners at all times.
The very last line of Queen Elinor is showing the world how love is nothing
compared to the fate of her Kingdom. Love is being degraded to a mere thing that
can be built during marriage times.
Kinds of Gender Stereotypes: Personal Traits and Occupation
Textual Evidence 12
Minute: 0:14:58
Queen Elinor: “Merida, all this work, all the time spent preparing you, schooling
you, giving you everything we never had. I ask you, what do you
expect us to do?”
Here is another proof that parents in medieval period were involved in
raising their children to be ready to face betrothal, especially women, who were
expected to be respectful to all of the male members of their family. And if they
fail to do so, the failure was seen as a crime against religion and society norms
prevailed at that time. Parents come with occupations to bring their daughters to

39
engagement doors and then train them beforehand about being a good wife and
mother. Being forced by people who come with some occupations also make the
one who is forced to fulfill her occupation as the result of this parental
relationship.
Textual Evidence 13
Minute : 0:27:37 - 0:28:18
Queen Elinor : “I am the Queen. You listen to me!” | “Merida, you are a Princess,
and I expect you to act like one.”
Merida is encountered by a fact that a Queen should not be ignored. She
also experienced some roles that a decision of her Queen is unbreakable, for she
must also obey all of the rules from the Queen. They became slaves for her
parents and the men around them. Another occupation she must fulfill.
4.2. Masculine Performances Related to Gender Performativity found in the
Movie
The findings found in the selected movie are compiled and categorized in
masculine performances carried out by Merida, whose sex is female. Although
she is a female, her performances are not showing feminine qualities which are
traditionally associated with women (gender). Thus it makes the findings are
compiled in visual evidences that show the masculine performances, which

40
revolve in doing activities as opposed to female stereotypes. For example are the
scenes where Merida raises her voice, does archery, rides her horse and other
masculine activities.
According to the findings that are found in Brave movie, the data related
to masculine performances that would create the real gender picked by Merida are
interpreted and listed down below. Each performance is explained
circumstantially in order to get better understanding.
4.2.1. Findings and Analysis
This section is completed with findings along with the analysis. They are
side by side and be proved by visual evidences formed in screenshots of
masculine performances related to the theory conducted by the main female
character, Merida. Before each finding is analyzed with the theory from Judith
Butler, here is a brief of analysis about Gender Performativity.
Gender Performativity was coined by Judith Butler, through her book,
Gender Trouble (1990). For her, gender is performative accomplishments which
are brought through the „stylized repetition of acts‟. She also determines gender as
„be performed‟ in addition to the first definition. For the first one is taken as
gender roles. Females or males are acting in some ways and their acting is crucial
to the gender that they are, the gender that actually they present to the world. As
for the latter one, she claims that it is a little bit different. For gender is
performative means that it produces a series of effects. The performance of a
person, either that person is a male or female, like speaking, walking, and talking

41
are consolidating such impression of „being a man‟ or „being a woman‟. She then
concludes that if a person acts as if that being of a man or that being of a woman
is simply true about them and a fact about them, then they are wrong. It is actually
only a phenomenon, which is being produced and reproduced all the time. And it
leads to a claim by her that to say gender is performative is to also say that
nobody really is a gender since the very beginning. Gender is then described as an
illusion created by masculine performances or stylized acts done repetitively and
deemed in order for someone to be gendered.
Here are the masculine performances presented by the main female
character, Merida that found in the movie.
Visual Evidence 1
Minute: 0:02:04
Explanation: Little Merida gets her first birthday, and it is a bow. She is fond with
it instantly and uses it for practicing with her father, King Fergus.

42
From this visual evidence, there is a hint of Merida gets introduced by one
of masculine activities, which is archery, by her father. As a child, who is still
innocent, for if she is surrounded by males, she will face a lot of activities related
to masculinity carried out by her brothers or her father. It happens exactly the
same with Merida. She is the firstborn of Clan Dun Broch, with a great father who
is the descendent of Viking and is so manly. This is also the first misconstrued
performance carried out by little Merida, which certainly is against the roles and
stereotypes expected to her.
Visual Evidence 2
Minute: 00:05:48 - 00:06:51
Explanation: Merida does not take her Princess lessons seriously. She acts against
what her mother expects her to be.
This visual evidence shows her feelings towards Princess lessons
conducted by her mother (see Appendix for more evidences). At this age, she

43
really is trying her best to follow each rules prevailed by her mother, the Queen.
Apparently, she has spent a lot of her childhood times doing masculine activities
until it forms her in some ways, against her assigned sex. Although she is also
taught several feminine activities, deep inside of her, she refuses each one of it.
She refuses everything that she thinks limiting her desires to be who she really is.
Visual Evidence 3
Minute: 00:06:59 - 00:08:50
Explanation: Merida has one day when she can do anything she wants with no
lessons and no expectations. She jumps here and there and frees
herself from duties and responsibilities. It is the day when she can
be a fearless person who rides a horse bravely, while shooting her
arrows. She can also use her knife as her fighting essential and
climb the most famous Crone's Tooth, as well as drinking from the
Fire Falls, which her father believes; only the ancient Kings were
brave enough to drink from the Fire.

44
This evidence shows how happy she is when she faces one day without
taking Princess lessons. She does not have to worry about lessons, expectations
and duties for a day. She can do whatever she wants to do. This evidence also
shows her performance is far from feminine. And it is only the beginning.
This evidence shows Merida‟s skill in archery while riding her loyal horse,
Angus. It is then considered as the strongest evidence of how she really loves
archery because she brings it to professional level!
Is not it because she is given a free day once in a week where she can do
anything she wants without attending any Princess lessons that makes her

45
enjoying being a gender which is against her sex? At her hiatus also she does not
want to miss doing everything she loves to do. This is then becoming the third
evidence of her doing performance which (later) defines her gender. As this
evidence shows that she can climb the most famous Crone's Tooth easily.
Visual Evidence 4
Minute: 0:12:28
Explanation: Merida disputes her parents' decision to present her to suitors and
make her marry one of them. She refuses by thinking she still has a
lot of things to do and that she is still young for that.
It is just clear, Merida does not have a chance to fall in love, for since she
was a child she was surrounded by a man she would only love, which is her
father. She is not experienced in falling in love, nor does she think it is right for
her mother to control to whom she must fall in love with. On the other side, there
is a role that a noblewoman possessed during medieval period; it is to marry and

46
give birth. Noblewomen like Princesses at that time have roles to breed a lot of
children and there should be a son from that big numbers.
Visual Evidence 5
Minute: 0:12:54
Explanation: Merida is enraged by the fact she must be married by someone she
does not even know. She sheds all of her fury through a pole of her
canopy bed using her sword. She pretends her pole as her mother.
Her sword skill is shown through her grudge hearing about the plan
arranged by her parents. She should, in the end follow what society expected to
her; to get married by another noble person and have a lot of children. With her
tomboy side, of course she refuses that.
Visual Evidence 6
Minute: 00:26:00 - 00:27:22

47
Explanation: After finding out the winner from archery game, Merida turns
herself in to the competition as she is the firstborn of Clan Dun
Broch. She would be shooting for her own hand. She did it well,
though it makes her mother even angrier.
Her performance in defending herself to eventually not following the role
that she should get married soon is shown when she shot her three arrows to each
one of it shot by the suitors. This evidence is representing Butler‟s point of view
about how she is trying to be an indecisive woman by standing up for herself. In
this case, to not be continued with the engagement, she must do something, and it
is by including herself in the competition. This seventh evidence then becomes
another one to show how persistent Merida in coming out „being different‟.
Visual Evidence 7
Minute: 00:27:55 - 00:28:13
Explanation: Merida expresses her feelings, being fearless in holding her sword
and heartlessly yells at her mother and aims her sword to a tapestry

48
that her mother had spent several months even years to knit it
altogether.
She releases her anger towards the Queen by carelessly throwing her
sword around her until it hits the tapestry made by her own mother. She raises her
voice and throws her sword to a work made by the Queen, who spent a lot of time
finishing it. She is like „coming out‟, showing off her real identity, which has been
trapped and burdened by the roles, duties and responsibilities she should carry for
years.
Visual Evidence 8
Minute: 0:54:03
Explanation: Merida tries to find something to eat for her mom, who has turned
into a bear. They stay overnight by the river then she gets some
fishes using her archery skill.

49
She is aiming for a fish so her bear-mother can eat foods that naturally she
should eat. Without her skill, they would end up starving, deep in the forest where
there is no one to help. Her archery skills are unbeaten compared to males. She
does not find any difficulties in getting some fishes for her mother. It is then
becoming a proof of her being a tomboy girl, who has spent a lot of time growing
in males surrounding, doing masculine activities.
Visual Evidence 9
Minute: 1:01:43
Explanation: Merida falls into a buried Kingdom. She discovers and then is found
by Mor'du the Bear. She is safe after jumping using all she has got
to reach her bear-mother's hand.

50
With huge amount of strength that she possess, as well as masculine
activities like jumping and climbing that have been done several times by her,
makes it easy for her to reach her bear-mother‟s hand when she struggled to avoid
Mor‟du‟s attack.
Visual Evidence 10
Minute: 1:05:10
Explanation: Merida is pushed to answer the question by the Lords when things
are getting chaos and then she bravely screams to shut them out.

51
She is not set to be decisive. She should be indecisive to follow personal
traits of gender stereotypes that entail to her. But in difficult times like the ones
she is facing to, courage is important. And she nailed it by coming out of what she
actually feels about her betrothal in front of the suitors all by herself.
Visual Evidence 11
Minute: 1:15:49
Explanation: Merida goes off to find her bear-mother by riding her loyal horse,
Angus, while also carrying her three little brothers.
When things get rough, if a Princess does not have bravery or courage in
defending her family, she will never be able to solve the case faced by Merida.
She can save her family from danger, just like this evidence when she was
knitting to break the prophecy of her bear-mother and riding horse with her three
brothers at the same time. It takes courage to face it all alone.

52
Visual Evidence 12
Minute: 1:17:09
Explanation: Merida finds her Dad, who is trying to attack her bear-mother using
his sword. Luckily Merida arrives and immediately releases her
arrow and hits her father's sword.
She could hit her father‟s sword easily, as if she has been trained to be a
warrior, instead of a Princess. For an unskilled person, they cannot even shoot an
arrow properly. It becomes one of evidences that show the world she is not afraid
of anything when it comes to protecting the one she loves. It is then considered as
another movement of traditional Princess roles in Disney Princess movies wherein
some of the Princesses crave for a help from men.
Visual Evidence 13
Minute: 1:17:22

53
Explanation: Merida fights back and knocks down the people who are in her way
in rescuing her bear-mother using her arrow and fighting skills.
Getting fought by a lot of people does not scare her from saving her
mother‟s life. Apparently she is also taught about fighting, which is again, against
Princess roles, duties and responsibilities. Thanks to her foreign behaviors that she
gain every single day, along with domestic behaviors make her easily to escape
this kind of situation, when people are in her way from saving her mother. Her
fighting essential must be grown since she was a baby, with her father, of course.
Visual Evidence 14
Minute: 1:17:25
Explanation: Merida defends her bear-mother using a sword she found and
threatens her father (for he unknowingly tries to kill the bear, which
is actually his wife). Merida attacks his artificial wooden leg and
chops it off.

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She does not even have fright in defending her mother against her father
who unconsciously does not understand the situation. She attacks his wooden leg
using a sword she found. To do this, she surely needs a lot of courage. This
evidence also shows her capability in defending her family. It is against her real
occupations as a woman, which is to just do what women do. For example is not
pointing her sword to the front of her father‟s nose. Merida shows how the
occupations as one of kinds of gender stereotypes made by society should be
stopped. It is because dangerous things may happen to each one of both sexes. If a
woman keeps hiding at her man‟s back, how can she grow up and be able to face
these kinds of thing all by herself? Then the occupation which limits women to
get a job of any kind of job she likes brings to light other stereotyping like
showing how women are always weak, dependent and passive.
Visual Evidence 15
Minute: 1:18:04

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Explanation: Merida's arrow hits Mor'du's neck.
With her archery skills, she can perfectly hit Mor‟du‟s neck. It slows this
angry bear down, but still, she needs to struggle a lot. Luckily at that time, her
mother is also a bear. This evidence becomes one of foreign behaviors as opposed
to domestic behaviors that she must perform. With her experiences in performing
a lot of masculine activities during her life, she can manage hurting Mor‟du,
although it wastes in vain as it is the strongest opponent she has ever encountered.

56
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
After all of the findings listed down in previous chapter, this study then
comes to some conclusions drawn from statements of the problem. In addition to
that, there are also suggestions so that in the future, any student who is interested
in taking similar topics can make a better analysis and execution.
5.1. Conclusions
Based on the statements of the problem and the analysis of the findings,
there are several conclusions from this study. First is about gender stereotypes.
After finding out the data and analyzing it circumstantially, it turns out that Brave
movie is sharing some gender stereotypes phenomena prevail in the Medieval
period. These phenomena are experienced by the main female character, Merida.
And because of it, Merida has to hold back her intentions to stay true to herself, to
be who she really is. These gender stereotypes vary in some types, such as duties,
roles and responsibilities. As a woman, Merida is forced to live with these roles,
namely being a lovely, caring, nurturing and gentle woman. She must not do
masculine activities and other outdoor activities, including archery. Merida should
be content with working remotely and be limited with other activities. She is also
forced to conduct some duties, such as become a wife to her husband, although
she is not ready for it yet, and to accept the fact that her marriage is not because of
two persons loving each other, rather to tighten the connection of two Kingdoms
(hers and ally). In addition to some duties Merida should live with is to obey each

57
rule made by the Queen. As for the responsibilities, she is in charged to be the
connector between her own Kingdom and other Kingdom, which her King would
love to have the connection with. She is also responsible in putting her family‟s
welfare before her own. This is why she is forced to get married soon.
The last conclusion is about gender Performativity. It is then correct to say
that Merida performs a lot of masculine activities. To put it simply, Merida is a
female. As for her gender, she must follow the gender stereotypes prevail in
society like some that have been mentioned above. To pick a gender as a woman,
she must act like one. She must perform feminine activities. In the end, her gender
would form as the one she chooses. In this case, according to the findings and
analysis, Merida performs the opposite feminine activities, which she should be.
She conducts and lives with masculine activities, instead. It can be concluded that
Merida picks „man‟ to be her gender. And it is shown through the activities that
she performs in the movie. Judith Butler‟s theory is then also bringing to light her
own theory about performing stylized repetitions acts or behaviors that can
actually create a gender, either it is against the assigned sex or not. What Merida
does, as it shown in findings lead her to a decision that no one can disturb of what
she is going to pick for her gender.
Based on the findings above along with the analysis, evidences that are
found prove how the main female character tries her best in defending of what she
believes. She may be lack of common sense at the first time, but as soon as she
recognizes one, she becomes brave enough in showing the „true‟ self of her. Not
being afraid of being who she really is regardless of which sex she is assigned to

58
showing the true fact of this feminist movie. Then feminist literary criticism can
be identified in how this movie tells the struggle of a female in finding out her
destiny when she is faced with several gender stereotypes that are pushed to her to
conduct. It does not mean Merida is a gay. If a female can speak true to herself,
and perform it in some ways, then she has got her gender and equality. She is also
formed in a gendered person, regardless to which sex she is. And Merida is
showing it, for her can solve a lot of problems she faced in the movie without
giving up her true self to the roles, duties and responsibilities forced by society
during that time.
5.2. Suggestions
This study may lack in profound analysis, but the experience that the
writer gains during the completion is priceless. And this experience is beyond
compare. The writer then understands a lot about social issues that are found in
this study, such as gender stereotypes and gender Performativity which nowadays
are still holding back females movement in expressing themselves without being
alienated by society.
As for them who plan to use similar topics such as gender stereotypes and
Performativity to be cautious in compiling the data. They should be able to prove
the availability of the finding in the selected literary work that they picked too and
then connect it all somehow until it becomes the strongest foundation to the thesis.
Using the similar topics as the ones discussed in this study can be difficult if they
cannot prove it properly.

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